Detachable closure system adapted to not engage hair and ease of taking on and off

ABSTRACT

A detachable closure system for a wearable article is provided. The wearable article defines an opening and cavity for receiving a portion of a wearer. The wearable article extends between two flaps and that when engaged secure the wearable article to the wearer. Each flap provides one or more contact areas adjacent to a respective flap edge. Each contact area provides attachment components that are removably connectable to the attachment components along the other flap. The clothing material of the wearable article enable one flap to be stretched so as to overlap the other flap for selectively engaging a first, second, or even third contact area thereat. Thereby, the wearable article can be removable by peeling it off the wearer in the closed condition yet offers a plurality of selectable closed conditions for adjusting the fit of the wearable article.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to detachable closures and, more particularly, a detachable closure system for headwear and other wearable articles for securing about the wearer without disturbing or undesirably engaging their hair.

Headwear may have a functional purpose, a fashionable purpose, or a combination of both. Unfortunately, for either purpose, the headwear may mess up the wearer's hair style or get caught or entangled in the wearer's hair when being donned or removed. For example, a thick winter hat fits tightly on the head and must be removed by sliding the hat along the length of the wearer's head, messing up the wearer's hair style, which leaves people feeling frustrated and not wanting to wear hats at times.

There currently is no detachable closure system adapted to enable headwear to be expandable and adjustable so as to not disturb or undesirably engage the underlying wearer's hair.

As can be seen, there is a need for a detachable closure system adapted for headwear and other typically slidably worn articles, wherein the detachable closure system is adapted not to disturb or undesirably engage the hair of the wearer.

The present invention embodies a wearable article defining an opening communicating to a cavity, the wearable article extending between two flaps that when engaged complete the opening and circumscribe the cavity. Each flap providing at least one contact area adjacent to a respective flap edge. Each contact area provides at least one attachment point for removably engaging two flaps. In the case of, for instance, a hat, the present invention provides a high slit in the back of hat with magnets to keep it closed/undetectable, which allows the hat to be opened to easily slide off of head instead of pulling hat from the top which messes up hair style and causes frizz. Also, the volume of the cavity will be adjustable by selectively engaging the attachment points of different contact areas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, detachable closure system for a wearable article includes the following: a wearable article extending between two flap edges so that when the two flap edges engage an opening and a cavity communicating thereto is defined; a contact area adjacent to a first of the two flap edges; two or more contact areas adjacent to a second of the two flap edges; and one or more attachment components along each contact area, wherein attachment components are removable attachable to attachment component provide on the other flap edge, wherein the wearable article enables the first of the two flap edges to overlap the second of the two flap edges to selectively engage each of the two or more contact areas.

In another aspect of the present invention, method of disturbing less hair when wearing a hat includes the following: providing the above-mentioned detachable closure system; moving the two flap edges to an open condition; wrapping the hat around a head of a wearer, wherein the head is received in the opening; selectively moving the two flap edges to a closed condition so that the contact area associated with the first of the two flap edges attach to a desired contact area of the second flap edge; moving the two flap edges to the open condition; and peeling the wearable article off the head.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in use in a closed condition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the lifting of flap 12 to an open condition for removal or adjustment of the article;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in the closed condition;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in the open condition;

FIG. 5 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 3, as well as illustrating how the flaps may be moved relative to each other for moving between the closed condition and the open condition;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in the closed condition;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in the open condition with flap 12 lifted;

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the bottom edge of the article rolled after closure;

FIG. 9 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention in the closed condition;

FIG. 10 is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, shown in the open condition;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing a wearable article 38 laid flat; and

FIG. 12 is a bottom front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the wearable article 38 of FIG. 11 shown in use with an animal shown in phantom lines for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a detachable closure system for a wearable article. The wearable article defines an opening and cavity for receiving a portion of a wearer. The wearable article extends between two flaps and that when engaged secure the wearable article to the wearer. Each flap provides one or more contact areas adjacent to a respective flap edge. Each contact area provides attachment components that are removably connectable to the attachment components along the other flap. The clothing material of the wearable article enable one flap to be stretched so as to overlap the other flap for selectively engaging a first, second, or even third contact area thereat. Thereby, the wearable article can be moved between an open condition and one or more closed positions so that the wearable article is both removable by peeling it off the wearer, and the wearable article offers a plurality of selectable closed conditions for adjusting the fit of the wearable article.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 12, the present invention may include a detachable closure system for a wearable article 10, 32, 38. The wearable article 10, 32, 38 defines an opening communicating to a cavity for receiving a portion of a wearer. The wearable article 10, 32, 38 extends between two flaps 12 and 14 that when engaged complete the opening and circumscribe the cavity.

The wearable article may include a hat 10, a headband 32, a pet shirt 38, or any wearable article for an animal 22 or 50, typically enveloping a hair covered portion of the animal 22 or 50, but not necessarily. The pet shirt 38 may have a neck band 40, arm holes 42, and an overall dimensionality to fit a pet 50, such as a dog.

The detachable closure system is enabled by the two flaps 12 and 14. Each flap 12 and 14 may provide at least one contact area 21 adjacent to a respective flap edge 23. Each contact area 21 may be a strip of surface area or a plurality of spaced apart surface areas. Typically, there will be two or more contact areas 21 along at least one flap 12 or 14. Each contact area 21 provides at least one attachment component 16, 18, 20, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 44, 46 or 48 for removably engaging a complimentary attachment component 16, 18, 20, 26, 28, 30, 34, 36, 44, 46 or 48 along another contact area 21 of the other flap. For example, there could be one contact area 21 along the first flap 21 and two adjacent contact areas 21 along the second flap 14, where the first flap 21 provides one or more closure magnetizable objects 16 along its contact area 21, while the two adjacent contact areas 21 of the second flap 14 each provide one or more first ferromagnetic objects 18 and a second ferromagnetic objects 20, respectively. The attachment components may be snaps (26, 26, and 30), hook and loop material (44, 46, and 48), or any objects capable of removably attaching one object to another.

The first flap 12 may be adapted to selectively overlap the second flap 14 so that each of two or more adjacent contact areas 21, for example along the second flap 14, can be engaged by the first flap 12. The clothing material of wearable article 10, 32, 38 may provide the flexibility enabling such selective overlapping. This selectively overlapping enables the user 22 to expand and adjust the volume of the cavity and the length of the opening that communicates thereto, allowing the user to find a more comfortable fit. The selective overlapping also enables the user 22 to move the two flaps 12 and 14 from a closed condition to an open condition that allows for “peeling” off the wearable article 10, 32, or 38—as opposed to sliding it off, which tends to undesirably engage, become entangled with, or otherwise mess up the user's hair 24 that was covered by the wearable article 10, 32, or 38 in the closed condition.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. The detachable closure system disclosed above may be provided on a wearable article, such as a hat. The person would apply the hat on their head by opening up the slit between the two flaps (i.e., moving the wearable article/detachable closure system to the open condition) and then connecting the complimentary attachment components of contact areas associated with both flaps in an overlapped configuration. The closed condition, especially with the magnetic complimentary attachment components, will make the detachable closure system undetectable. Subsequently, when desiring to take off the hat the user will disengage the complimentary attachment components, moving the wearable article to the open condition, then peeling the hat off of their head by pulling the hat back instead of upwards.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A detachable closure system for a wearable article, comprising: a wearable article extending between two flap edges so that when the two flap edges engage an opening and a cavity communicating thereto is defined; a contact area adjacent to a first of the two flap edges; two or more contact areas adjacent to a second of the two flap edges; and one or more attachment components along each contact area, wherein attachment components are removable attachable to attachment component provide on the other flap edge, wherein the wearable article enables the first of the two flap edges to overlap the second of the two flap edges to selectively engage each of the two or more contact areas.
 2. The detachable closure system for a wearable article of claim 1, wherein each contact area extends for at least half of the respective flap edge, and wherein the contact area is consistently spaced apart from the respective flap edge throughout its length.
 3. The detachable closure system for a wearable article of claim 2, wherein each contact area extends linearly.
 4. The detachable closure system for a wearable article of claim 1, wherein each attachment component is either a magnetized material or a ferromagnetic material.
 5. The detachable closure system for a wearable article of claim 1, wherein each attachment component is a snap component.
 6. The detachable closure system for a wearable article of claim 1, wherein the wearable article is a hat and the opening is a head opening.
 7. A method of disturbing less hair when wearing a hat, comprising: providing the detachable closure system of claim 6; moving the two flap edges to an open condition; wrapping the hat around a head of a wearer, wherein the head is received in the opening; selectively moving the two flap edges to a closed condition so that the contact area associated with the first of the two flap edges attach to a desired contact area of the second flap edge; moving the two flap edges to the open condition; and peeling the wearable article off the head. 